Day 5 London to Manchester

After the terrific theatre performance of Wicked, we made our way back to our hotel and a good night's rest. In the morning, we re-packed for our flight to Manchester, took a final stroll down Regent Street - caught a cab to Paddington Station and then out to the airport on the Heathrow Express.

We arrived in Manchester later than expected (about 6PM) after a delay on the runway in London. Finally got to our hotel and had dinner and an early night.

Next day, we were up bright and early to go to the Manchester Library to look up the parish records for the Tomkinson births and marriages.

David, Richard's great grandfather's birth 1853 -- son of David and Ann Tomkinson


Richard's g-g-grandfather's marriage 1810 David Tomkinson to Sarah Fletcher.

And here is the Altar at the Manchester Cathedral where all Tomkinson's were married and christened up until 1875 since the Cathedral Church was the only placed 'licensed' to perform marriages in the Diocese all the surrounding communities had to have their ceremonies at the Cathedral and not their local parish churches.

Richard at the front door of the Cathedral.

We met Ali Cochran for a great pub lunch and enjoyed getting caught up with all her news. This is her last year at the University of Manchester and she certainly has enjoyed it. She's taken advantage of being close to Europe and regailed us with her back-pack trips trekking over Europe.

We left Ali to return to her studies and walked around Manchester down-town for a bit -- Richard to the Art Gallery and me to the Archives. Back to the hotel and an early night. My feet our killing me! I don't think I've walked so much every day in years. The cobblestones are the trickiest -- but my legs are getting tougher!

London Day 4 Kensington Palace

Here I am outside the guards gate at Kensington Palace.

And again, in front of the main gates to the palace.

One can lie about on these chairs (for 50p for 2 hours) in front of the Serpintine Lake that goes through Kensington Park.

No pictures of our stroll through Hyde park as we were using the video camera. We saw Princess Diana's Memorial fountain, strolled through the park and took the tube back to our hotel in Oxford Circus.

In the evening we had a quick dinner and took the tube to Victoria station and the Apollo Theatre to see the live performance of "Wicked". It was terrific.

London Day 4 Keningston and Hyde parks

We walked from the V&A to Kensington park to eat our bag lunch on a park bench. We decided that we'd like Albert for company while we ate so he sat above us in all his glory. Victoria certainly spared no expense for this monument to her Prince Consort.


Albert's memorial statue faces -- what else -- Albert Hall.

Our eating perch in Kensington park, right by Albert.

After lunch we took a walk to the end of Kensington to have a view of the Palace. Couldn't see William or Harry, nor Charles & Camila -- but there were lots of tourists!

London - Day 4 The V&A

This is the Morris room cafe at the V&A -- very typical of the interior stylings of homes in early New Westminster.

Cate and Buffy would have loved the textiles room. Here Richard shows two panels from a row of cabinets of various textiles. There were about 50 of these cabinets all down the room. Every textile pattern imaginable.

Of course, I had to capture Punch & Judy from the Theatre & Performing Arts exhibit.

Here's Richard showing us the devastation caused by the bombs in WW2. The entire wall of the museum is pock-marked with the bomb scars. This inscription tells us that they were left unrestored on purpose in remembrance.

London Day 4 -- the Victoria & Albert Museum

We took the tube from Oxford Circus to the Victoria and Albert Museum. The main hall was full of statues carved by the grand masters. Here, Richard is sketching one of them.

There were busts of many famous British people - bishops, priests, warriors and here is Gladstone having a look at Richard.

Talk about a coffee shop -- the three cafe rooms in the V&A are the first cafes ever to be built within a museum and they are fancy...


The ceiling of the center cafe at the V&A

London End of Day 3

From Buckingham Palace we walked the toney district and came across #1 -- the first address in the city of London.

See, I was there too.

Dinner was at the Bag o' Nails pub -- named cutely after the original Bachnaals pub that stood on this corner as a carriage tavern many, many years ago.

London Day 3 - Sunday

Across the Millenium Bridge you can see the Globe Theatre - Shakespeare's own with the only thatched roof allowed in London. We walked around the Globe and into the Tate for a brief look. Then took the boat up river to the Tate Britian which was more to Richard's liking. He drooled over the Sargent's paintings -- all of which I have on video..... and next we tried our new touring skills on the underground as the tube whisked us off to Victoria station and a visit to Buckingham Palace -- one mustn't miss this one!

Buckingham Place through the gates....



And my new friend -- the Bobby....

London Day 3 Sunday Service

Naturally, we are taking as many bus pictures as we can for Matty.

We attended sung eucharist at St. Paul's cathedral and it was inspiring! We were seated in the front row with the full sound of the choir, including a boys choir. It was amazing hearing the service in such an historic surrounding.

In the garden behind the Cathedral - John Wesley himself


After the service we walked across the Millenium Bridge to see Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and to make a cursory check out of the Tate Modern

On the Millenium bridge with St. Paul's in the background.

London - Day 2 -- Not Over yet!

We completed our long day with a scrumptious dinner at the oldest Indian restaurant in London Villaswammi. The turbans in the hall were gorgeous.


Richard had a lamb 'joint' and I had a vegetarian stew. Both were the best meals we have had so far in England!

We sauntered back from the restaurant down Regent Street to Picadilly -- more country life wear in the windows and the rather fabulous night lights in the Circus.

What a day we had!

Picadilly Circus at night.

Day 2 London - Westminster Abbey

At the gate at Westminster Abbey

A magnificent structure -- but closed for tours due to reconstruction.

Richard relaxes on the Warden's gate.

On the bus again. around Kensington Park, Kensington Palace and ending the tour at the Marble Arch in Hyde Park.

What a day

London Day 2 Houses of Parliament

Part of the Big Bus tour includes a trip up river on the Thames which gives an entirely different view of the surroundings.

The boat stopped at the Houses of Parliament and we caught Big Ben in the background.

The London Eye -- a beautiful site across the River but it didn't tempt us with a ride.

The Houses of Parliament with a fitting few of Richard I.